Sound producing device



April 18, 1950 R. R. RUNDELL SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Filed Aug. 6, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 13, 1950 R. R. RUNDELL SOUND PRODUCINQ DEVICE 4 shetssheet :5

Filed Aug. 6, 1945 zazwaezz April 18, 1950 R. R. RUNDELL SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE 4'Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 6, 1945 3mm RJPu 7207622 Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOUND BRODUCING DEVICE Beymend R,- Runflell, Miami Fle- Application August 6, 1945,v Serial No. 609,181

4; Qlaims.

This invention relates to sound producing dovices.

An object of this invention is to provide a sound device which may be used as an article of utility, such asa dinner call device, an article of arnusementor a toy.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind emloodying a tortuous passage, gongs .or other sound elements intersecting the passage, and percussion elements in the form of balls or the like which gravitationally move through the passag and progressively stri'le the sound elements.

A further obect of this invention is to provide a device of this kind wherein the tortoouspassge is formed in an invertible housing pivotally carried by a base, so that the passage may be closed .at each. end end the device Oieerated by gravitatien ef the permission .element rhell in either position of the housing or direction of travel of the elementy.

With theforegoing Objects in view, and others which may hereinafter rnore fully appear, I have invented the device show-n in the accompanying drayvings, which consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be :more specifically dscribed, and illustrated in thedrawines wherein are shown embedimenfie of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, yariat'ions and modications may be resorted to which fall within the scene ef the invention, as claimed.

In the drawings:

ii-'istne -1; is .a detail front elevation Darth' broken away and -i-n section of a varialele see-nd dev-ice eenstrueted according to an emboeliment ,Of this invention,

;Figure 2 is a detail side elevation partly broken away and in section of the device.

Fie-ure is a seetienal AYiew taken on the line f ,Of Fieuvre l,

Figure :i is a deteil front slevatien ef the ter- ,tuous pessege for-mine plate .used with this de- V105,

-Eig-ure 5 is .a sectional view taken .0.11 the 'line l- 2 removed of the modiflcation shown in Figure 8, and

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, the numeral I designates generally a housing which is formed of upper and lower walls 15 and ll, a rear wall IS and opposite side walls |9 and 29. The housing l is closed at its forward side by means of a transparent wall 2| and a rectangular frame 22 formed with a marginal fiange 23 engages the transparent wall or panel 2! and holds this wall or panel against the forward ends or edges of the side and upper and lower Walls.

A gong supporting bar or plate 24 is disposed on the inner side of the side wall IQ being spaced inwardly from this side wall by means of spacers 25 and secured to the side wall |9 by fastening devices 26. A plurality of gongs or sound elements 21, 28, 29 and 30 are secured to the bar 24 and extend inwardly therefrom and in the present instance these gongs are in the form of a spiral coil formed of tempered metal, and the gongs are of varying sizes progressing from the smaller gong 27 to the larger gone,l Si. In this manner variable sounds will be produced When the percussion elements contact with these gongs. A fiat gcng supporting bar or plate 3! is disposed on the inner side of the side wall 2d being spaced therefrom by spacers 32 and are secured relative to the wall by fastening devices A plurality of gongs or sound elements 313i, 36 and ,31 are secure-d to the inner side of the supporting bar 3| and spaced inwardly therefrom.

The sound elements or gongs 3d to 31 are in progressively increased sizes with the smaller size nppermost and arrang'ed in staggered relation With respect to the sound elements 21 to 30 inclusive. In order to provide a means whereby the gongs or sound elements may be progressively actuated, I have provided a tortuous passage forndng plate which includes a plate member 33 ensgaging the forward edges of the supporting bars Q4 and 3]. The plate 39 is formed with elongated openings 39, 43, M and 122 through which the gongs 2'l to .30 are adapted torloosely project, as shown more clearly in Figure 3. The plate ;is also formed with a second series of elongated openings 43, l, and 'l at the opposite lengthw-ise Vertical edge of the plate and through which the gongs 34 to 31 areadapted to loosely proiect. A tortuous passage is formed on the forward side of the plate 38 by means of a v series e15 ,Speeed erert parallel ,fienes er Wells 4.6

3 and 41. the flanges 46 and 41 at one end of the tortuous passage being closed by a connecting wall 48.

The tortuous passage, generally designated as 49, is of zig-zag configuration with successive oppositely inclined portions and this passage is broken at the point where the gongs project through the elongated openings of the plate 38, the projecting portions of the gongs forming closures for the adjacent opposite ends of the oppositely inclined portions or sections of the passage 49 so as to be disposed across or to inter'- sect the lower ends of the oppositely inclined portions of said passage or junction points thereof. A ball or percussion member 5d is mounted in the passage 49 and is adapted to gravitatonally move downwardly through this passage, first striking the uppermost of the gongs, which in Figure 1 is the gong 34. The ball or percussion member 5G then moves in the opposite direction and strikes the uppermost gong 21 and then in alternate opposite directions in the succeeding oppositely inclined portions to strike the remaining differently soundlng gongs 35, 28, 36, 29, 31 and 311 in the order stated and to strike the same in the reverse order upon the housing and passage being inverted or reversed in position. When the ball 513 reaches the lower end of the tortuous passage 49 the ball will engage against a lower connecting wall 51, which closes the lower end of the tortuous passage.

The walls 46 and 41 forming the tortuous passage are secured to the plate 38 by striking lugs 52 and 53 from the inner edges of the Walls 46 and 41 respectively, and these lugs are then extended through slots 54 and 55 in the plate 38 and bent at right angles on the inner or rear side of the plate 38. The housing 15 is pivotally mounted on a supporting base which includes a pair of uprights 515 and 51 carried by a base 58. The upright 58 is formed with a pivot member 59 which is adapted to engage in a detent G formed in the side wall 19. The upright 51 is also formed with a pivot member 81 engageable in a detent 62 formed in the wall 211.

Referring now to Figures 8, 9 and 10, there is disclosed a modified form of this invention wherein the tortuous passage 63 for the percussion member 64 is formed in a block 65. A plurality of .bells or sound elements 56, 61, 68, 69, 111 and 11 are secured to the block 65 by fastening devices 12, as shown in Figure 10. In the present instance the sound elements 56 to 11 are in the form of bells and in order that the vibrations of the bells 66 may pass out of the block 60 and the tortuous passage 63, openings in the form of slots 13 are provided in the block E adjacent each sound element. A transparent cover plate 14 is secured by fastening devices 15 to the forward side of the block 65 and the block 65 is pivotally supported on a pair of spaced uprights 16 which are carried by a base plate 11. The uprights 16 have pivot members 18 on the inner sides thereof which engage in detents or recesses 19 forrned in the adjacent or side edges of the block 65.

In the use and operation of this device the two forms of the invention will operate in the same manner. A single percussion member or ball is preferably disposed in the tortuous pas- Sage and the housing, as for example housing 15, is disposed in an upright position with the ball 5d at the upper end of the tortuous passage 4G. The ball 50 will roll downwardly in the tortuous passage 49 striking the gongs or sound elements in succession until the ball reaches the lower end of the tortuous passage. The ball may be returned to the upper end of the tortuous passage by merely inverting the housing 15 and upon inverting of the housing 15, the ball will roll downwardly through the tortuous passage striking the deeper toned sound elements first and finally striking the higher toned or pitched sound elements which are the smaller elements 21 and 34. The housing 15 may be reversed as often as may be desired and it will be understood that this device may be used as a dinner gong or dinner call or may be used as a sounding toy for children and may be used as an element of musical education with the sound elements having predetermined pitches related to musical instruments.

What I clalm is:

1. A sound device comprising a housing formed of parallel side walls, a rear wall, a pair of inner plates parallel with said side walls, means securing said inner plates to said side walls, spaced sound elements carried by said inner plates, a slotted plate parallel with said rear wall and abutting against the forward edges of said pair of plates, forwardly projecting marginal fianges carried by said slotted plate, said elements projecting through the slots, tortuous passage forming means fixed to the outer side of said slotted plate, said passage being closed at the opposite ends thereof, a transparent front wall carried by said housing forming the front wall of said passage, and a ball loosely disposed in said passage for movement along the passage in opposite directions to strike the elements in reverse order when the housing is disposed in inverted positions.

2. A sound device comprising a housing formed of parallel side walls, a rear wall, a pair of inner plates parallel with said side walls, means securing said inner plates to said side walls, spaced sound elements carried by said inner plates, a slotted plate parallel with said rear wall and abutting against the forward edges of said pair of plates, forwardly projecting marginal flanges carried by said slotted plate, said elements projecting through the slots, tortuous passage form.- ing means fixed to the outer side of said slotted plate, said passage being closed at the opposite ends thereof, a transparent front wall carried by said housing forming the front wall of said passage, a ball loosely disposed in said passage to successively strike said sound elements upon movement along the passage, and means pivotally supporting said housing whereby said housing may be reversed to cause movement of the ball along the passage in an opposite direction to'cause reverse striking of the sound elements thereby.

3. A sound device comprising a housing formed of parallel side walls, a rear wall, a pair of inner plates parallel with said side walls, means securing said inner plates to said side walls, spaced sound elements carried by said inner plates, a slotted plate parallel with said rear wall and abutting against the forward edges of said pair of plates, forwardly projecting marginal fianges carried by said slotted plate, said elements projecting through the slots, tortuous passage forming means fixed to the outer side of said slotted plate, said passage being closed at the opposite ends thereof, a transparent front wall carried by said housing forming the front wall of said passage, a ball loosely disposed in said passage,

and a U-shaped base pivotally supporting said housng whereby said housing may be inverted to cause travel of the ball in opposite directions in the passage to strike the elements successively in reverse order.

4. A sound device comprising a rectangular housing having front and rear walls, a slotted plate in said housing spaced from, and parallel to, said front and rear walls, spaced sound elements mounted behind said plate and projecting forwardly through the slots formed therein, tortuous passage forming means fixed to the front side of said plate, said passage being closed at the opposite ends thereof with said housing front wall forming the front wall thereof, and a ball loosely disposed in said passage for movement therealong in opposite directions to strike said sound elements in reverse order when the housing is disposed in inverted posltions.

RAYMOND R. RUNDELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

